Thursday 27th May 2004
Press release - Auckland and Wellington only
Incredible cinema joins Telecom New Zealand International Film Festival to bring Cannes Grand Pix winner.
Old Boy the South Korean film championed by Quentin Tarantino, which scooped the Grand Prix du Jury at the 57th Cannes
Film Festival on Sunday, will show as part of the new That’s Incredible Cinema section in the Telecom New Zealand
International Film Festival.
Anthony Timpson who ran the Incredible Film Fest (Incredibly Strange Film Fest prior to 2001) for the last ten years
will program the new “Incredible” section.
This collaboration between festival directors, Bill Gosden and Anthony Timpson marks the end of The Incredible Film
Fest, which was well known for its adventurous selection of sometimes bizarre and controversial films.
Telecom New Zealand International Film Festival director Bill Gosden welcomed Anthony Timpson’s involvement.
“Though Ant's probably best known as the scourge of the wannabe censors, his Incredible Film Festival has also been
instrumental in generating audiences in New Zealand for a lot of cutting edge work. He's certainly demonstrated the
mettle of his expertise and networks by netting us OLD BOY months in advance of its Cannes selection. The first
'Incredible' section has all the energy we could have hoped for and should extend our audience and Ant's.” said Bill
Gosden
Anthony Timpson exclaims “What can I say? They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I do mean couldn’t (have you seen
Bill angry!). Actually this pairing is the natural evolution of the Incredible Film Festival’s life cycle. It was born
ugly, became a naughty teen and then matured into a stubborn adult. It was time to let it go and watch it socialise on a
larger canvas. It will probably still get into a little trouble, but who's perfect? This is a fantastic opportunity to
be part of Telecom New Zealand Intentional Film Festivals, a vital medium that continues to showcase the very best of
International Cinema”
CONTINUES
Neither Festival director has shied away from showing challenging or controversial films and both have had to fight
intensive battles with The Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, who brought injunctions against film
festival screenings in earlier years.
The That’s Incredible Cinema section will include the 2004 Grand Prix du Jury winner Old Boy, a visually inventive and
violent thriller, freely adapted from a 1997 Japanese comic book that embraces the idea of vengeance. Australasian
distribution rights to the film have now been secured by Rialto Distribution.
Another film direct from competition at Cannes, which is showing as part of Anthony Timpson’s selection is Bad Santa, a
comedy about a full-time cynic who works as a part-time department store Santa, starring Billy Bob Thornton. Shaun of
the Dead, a manic spoof horror described as a romantic comedy with zombies is picked by festival programmers to be
another highlight of the new section.
The entire programme will be announced in Auckland on 15 June and Wellington 17 June.
The 2004 website www.nzff.telecom.co.nz is now online where more programmed film information is available.
ENDS